title: Maternal risk factors in Afghan-refugees compared to Pakistani mothers in Peshawar, NWFP Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the health risk factors associated with Afghan refugee mothers compared to Pakistani mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1039 records of newborn and their mothers collected prospectively from the four public-hospitals in Peshawar during August-November 2003 were analysed, using crude and adjusted odds ratios for the comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data revealed that low birthweight was 2.6 times higher in Afghan refugees compared to Pakistani mothers adjusting for all other important covariates. The univariate analysis highlighted a number of factors, however, the multivariate method established significant association of Afghan refugees with Tribal areas, older age and an un-registered pregnancy compared to Pakistani mothers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High geo-demographic risk factors were seen in Afghan refugee mothers; for which an appropriate strategy is required to provide reasonable healthcare facilities in the Tribal areas, and disseminate information regarding the risks involved in non-registration and old age pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Islamia College, Chartered University, Peshawar NWFP Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sareer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Badshah
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mckelvie
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Paulo J G
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lisboa
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan / Q000208:ethnology; D044466:Asian People / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors